Twang and Rock in Rittenhouse: Katie Frank, Divers, DJ Lisa Love play Philly Weekly’s Concerts in the Park

On Wednesday night Rittenhouse Square played host to the first of two Concerts in the Park sponsored by Philadelphia Weekly. The 24th year of this concert series kicked off with three woman-fronted acts: DJ Lisa Love, Folk Fest-bound band Katie Frank & The Pheremones and Divers. It was a diverse mix of musical interests on display, from the Americana and roots of Frank to the indie rock of Divers, with some classic hip-hop thrown in from Love.

DJ Lisa Love warmed the crowd up before Frank and then did a smaller set between Frank and Divers. Philly was well represented, from Boyz II Men to Hall and Oates. The crowd was certainly willing to dance to the music.

Playing behind their 2014 release Counting Your Curses, Katie Frank & The Pheremones added a welcome twang to the night. Frank, backed by a four-piece, strummed and swayed for a solid 45-minute set. Concluding with a rousing cover of “These Boots are Made for Walkin’,” Frank & The Pheremones were an early evening delight. They play the Philadelphia Folk Festival main stage today at 4 p.m.

With dusk settling in, Divers took the stage led by Emily Ana Zeitlyn. Her and her three bandmates constructed a set of thoughtful rock, pondering relationships and intellectual crises. As the stage lights and the Rittenhouse Square lamps became the primary illumination, Zeitlyn took the audience on a nighttime ride with such tracks as “Eggshells.” They announced at the show that they will be crowd-funding their forthcoming first album. Their live work is certain to sizzle on an LP.

The second and final Concerts in the Park show will be next Wednesday, August 20, and feature DJ Cash Money, Worldtown Soundsystem and Pablo Batista and the Mambo Syndicate.